


Redemption

by EvilRegality93



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, Eventual SwanQueen, F/F, Henry isn’t such a little shit, Hurt/Comfort, If I decide to continue, Mother-Son Relationship, post curse breaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 15:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17025249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilRegality93/pseuds/EvilRegality93
Summary: Set straight after the curse breaks. What if Henry realised a bit sooner exactly how much his mom loves him? But is it too late?Just something that has been sitting in my drafts forever that I may continue if people are interested. Would eventually be SQ because I don’t know how to write anything else.





	Redemption

Henry could barely process the chaos that surrounded him. All he knew for sure was that he needed to stop it. He struggled uselessly against the bear hug Emma was holding him in. "Let me go! We have to stop them!"

Rather than releasing him, Emma began dragging him backwards, away from the gathered crowd and towards his grandmother. "Henry, let Mary Margaret take you home." 

"You said you wouldn't let them hurt her!" The tears he'd been holding back finally broke free. He'd always hated feeling helpless and this was so much worse than anything he'd ever experienced before. "You promised me!"

Emma's heart sank at the pain in her son's voice. She looked over his head at the source of commotion and winced at what she saw. David was wrestling a pair of handcuffs onto a struggling Regina with most of the town watching and cheering in glee as the first cuff snapped round her wrist. Even from how far away they were standing, Emma could see the way Regina's arm was twisted unnaturally behind her back and that the cuff had been fastened far tighter than was necessary. 

"She needs to be arrested, Kid" Emma said with a confidence she didn't feel. "If she stopped struggling, things would go much easier." 

"She doesn't like feeling trapped!" Henry all but screamed at her, his struggling increasing tenfold. "She's still my mom! You have to help her!"

Emma wished he'd stop reminding her that Regina was his mom too. It's not like she could forget something like that. For years she'd had terrible dreams about the child she'd given up being stuck with a horrible family but upon waking she'd always forced herself to believe he'd found happiness without her. Finding out he'd been brought up by a literal villain was like all her worst nightmares coming true at once but this time she couldn't wake up. She couldn't deny it; she wanted to see Regina punished. The other woman had destroyed her life, taken away her chance to grow up with her parents and, if Henry's book was to believed, she'd killed hundreds and destroyed the lives of countless more. She deserved everything she was getting, even if the little voice in the back of Emma's head tried insisting there was no need for such brutality. 

As she watched, David's leg jerked out, kicking Regina's feet out from under her. The former Queen crumpled, her left knee hitting the concrete with a sickening crack that only made the crowd cheer louder. It was at that moment that Regina finally saw them. As her eyes met those of her openly sobbing son all of the fight finally drained out of her, allowing David to finally snap the other cuff around her wrist. He used the chain connecting them to jerk the fallen woman back to her feet and began dragging her towards the waiting police cruiser. 

Henry could barely even allow himself to blink as his eyes were glued to his mother as she was roughly pulled further away from him. He had a terrible feeling this would be the last time he'd ever be allowed to see her. He'd been so angry at her for the last few years - she'd lied to him, she'd made him think he was crazy, she'd even unwittingly poisoned him in her attempt to get rid of Emma, but it wasn't meant to end like this. 

He'd wanted the curse broken more than anything but he still loved his mother. He didn't know how to reconcile the two opposing sides of her but he thought he'd have the time to figure it out. He thought he'd be able to ignore her for a while, to inflict his own form of punishment on her, before they could eventually start working on rebuilding what they once had. He'd been so sure that once the curse had broken, there wouldn't be any need for her to lash out or to lie. Everything would be out in the open and she could be his mom again. He wanted Emma to be his mom too. He wanted both of them, not just one or the other. 

Emma finally released him once the cruiser's back door had been slammed shut, locking his mother tightly inside. He could barely see her through the window but he could just about make out the small loving smile she sent his way. Even as everything she’d worked for fell apart around her, she was still reassuring him, still trying to make him feel better. In that moment he regretted every single time he'd believed she didn't love him. He silently vowed he would fix this with or without Emma's help. He's figure out a way to save his mom. 

*****************

It was three days before Henry had a chance to sneak out of the Charming's loft. Emma knew him well enough to know he might try something and so had kept an annoyingly close eye on him. Luckily, well for him at least, Rumplestiltskin was causing enough trouble that she'd been forced to pay him a visit and the Charming's were far too trusting for their own good. 

He'd had to climb into the station through the tiny bathroom window. It was tight squeeze but every other way in was locked up tight. For a moment, Henry found himself questioning if his mother was even here, the whole place seemed unnaturally quiet. 

He crept down the corridor until he reached the room he knew well. He'd spent many afternoons here with Emma after school, playing trashcan basket ball with her and even the odd game of darts, now though the place filled him with dread. 

He crept towards the furthest cell, his eyes not yet adjusted to the darkness of the room. 

"There's no need to tiptoe around." A familiar voice said from deep inside the cell. "If you're going to kill me, there's no one here to stop you. You might as well get on with it."

"Mom?" 

She stepped suddenly from the darkness towards the bars of the cell where it was just about light enough to make out the surprise painted on her features. "Henry?"

He ran the remaining few feet that separated them and thrust his arms through the bars so they could wrap around her. It was awkward and uncomfortable but it would have to do. There was no other way he could hug her right now. "Mommy," he practically sobbed into her chest, his guilt overwhelming him. It was his fault she was even in here. If he hadn't tried to break the curse then none of this would be happening. He felt her shaking hand stroke gently through his hair, the action becoming more assured as she realised he wasn't about to pull away. "I...I'm so...sor...sorry, mom."

"Shhh, it's okay Henry," she whispered, her hand never ceasing it's reassuring path through his hair. His breathing was becoming more and more erratic with each passing second and tears were no doubt soaking the front of her shirt. "Sweetheart, I need you to take a deep breath for me okay?" She pulled away just enough to be able to look down at his face. "In through your nose and out through your mouth. Nice and slow." She demonstrated the breathing until his body naturally began to imitate the action. After a few minutes his breathing was back to normal but the ache in his chest remained. 

Regina pulled on his arms gently, encouraging to sit on the floor as she settled down on the other side. "You shouldn't be here, Henry. It's not safe."

"I'm so sorry." He repeated again, not knowing what else to say. There was no way she could make him leave. 

Her hand found its way through the bars and reached out for his cheek. He could see the hesitation in her eyes so he pushed his face more firmly into her palm until she was cupping it. "None of this is your fault, okay? I need you to know that." 

"Of course it's my fault! I-"

"No," she interrupted quickly, "it's my fault, not yours. I will not have you blaming yourself for this." Her thumb wiped away a tear he hadn't even realised he'd shed. "My actions have brought me here not yours and no matter what happens next I wouldn't change a thing because for 10 glorious years I had you. That's all that matters." 

Henry took a moment to really look at his mother. He hadn't seen her sitting on the floor like this since he was a toddler when she used to sit on the rug with him to play with his favourite toy trains. And that wasn't the only unusual thing. He couldn't ever remember seeing her this thin or disheveled. Her cheekbones were sticking out even more than usual and she had deep dark bags under her eyes that made her whole face seem sunken and gaunt. Her usually impeccable wardrobe was in tatters. Her stockings and heels were notably absent, leaving her in just her skirt and blouse, the latter of which was ripped at the collar, leaving it handing slightly off one of her shoulders. Even in the dim light he could see the huge bruise spread across her knee from where David had tripped her. He couldn't stop the anger towards his grandfather exploding in his chest. Weren’t the Charming's supposed to be there heroes?

"Have they even given you anything to eat?" 

His mother's silence was all the confirmation that he needed. It had been 3 days and they hadn't once given her food. There was a sink and a toilet in the cell so at least she wouldn't die from dehydration but how long could a person last without food? They were starving her! He grabbed his backpack and quickly rummaged through it. He'd brought a few items with him hoping to cheer her up but if he'd known he would have brought more supplies. He wanted to kick himself for not preparing better. Who knew when he'd get another chance to sneak out? He had to get her out of here. 

 

Regina watched him silently while he processed everything he was seeing. She was surprised he'd come at all. She'd expected him to be off enjoying his new life with his real family and, as painful as that thought was for her, in some ways it would be easier to bear than this. His anger and hurt was practically palpable as he tore things from his backpack and heaved out frustrated sighs. She didn't want to be the cause of his pain. Not any more. She’s had plenty of time to think over the last few days and it was mainly all about on her beautiful boy and the many ways she'd let him down. She thought she was done hurting him. She thought he was out of her toxic reach but apparently even now he wasn't safe from her. She knew there was no point trying to send him away until he was ready though. It's not like there was much she could do from behind these damned bars. She scooted infinitesimally closer to him until her sore knee was pressed painfully against the bars. All she could do was soak up his company for as long as it lasted and maybe try to give him some peace before he left. She'd make him believe that he had nothing to be sorry for. 

"I brought some of your favourite granola bars and a couple of apples," he held the items up for her to take, "if I'd know-"

"These are perfect. Thank you sweetheart." Despite her hunger she didn't start eating straight away. She didn't want to waste the little time she had with her son concentrating on food. She could wait a little longer. 

"Mom please eat. I'm not going anywhere until you do." 

Regina rolled her eyes and smiled. She really should be used to his stubbornness by now but she always forgot until moments like these. She picked up one of the apples and took a dainty bite, knowing she'd need to eat slowly after so long without sustenance. She didn't want to make herself sick. 

Henry watched her like a hawk but seemed to relax slightly after she'd swallowed her first bite. "How do I get you out of here mom?"

She gave him a sad smile. He made it sound so simple. "You don't. And that's okay."

"No it's not!" Henrys grabbed the bars separating them and rattled them as if he could pull them apart with his sheer force of will. "I'm getting you out of here! There's got to be a key right?" He jumped to his feet, fully prepared to tear the whole building apart to find it.

"Henry come and sit down. There's only one key now and Charming has it. There was a master key in my office for emergencies but it's been destroyed. You're not going to find anything here." 

Reluctantly he sat back down. Maybe he could find a way to steal the key while David was asleep?

"What about magic?" Henry asked hesitantly. Everything in him wanted to hate magic. He'd read about the evil it could inflict and the price that was always paid but if it got his mom out maybe it would be worth it? Just this once.

"My magic isn’t working. It’s like it’s not even there."

"But Gold has his. If we ask him to-"

"Henry Daniel Mills you are not to make a deal with that man. You are not even to talk to him. Am I clear?"

Henry was sure that he could be an old man and hearing his full name fall from his mother’s lips would still make him feel like a naughty toddler. “Yes mom.” 

Appeased with his answer, Regina took another small bite of her apple and shifted slightly, trying to alleviate the discomfort in her leg without her son noticing. 

Naturally, he noticed the movement instantly and his jaw tightened. “You should lie down and rest your leg,” he told her reluctantly. He wouldn’t be able to reach her or even see her very well from where the bed was at the back of the cell but he didn’t want her to be in pain because of him. 

“I’m fine here darling.” She threaded her hand back through the bars and wrapped her pinky finger around his. 

Regina still couldn’t believe that her baby was really here. She knew this may well be the last opportunity she ever got to talk to him. “You must have questions about everything that’s happened Henry. I know I’ve lied to you but I think it’s time I was honest with you. What would you like to know?” 

*****************

Several hours later a frantic Emma burst through the door of the station. It was times like this she wondered how Mary Margaret and David could possibly be her parents. How could they be so naive that they let Henry slip away? They were super by a ten year old for God’s sake. 

As soon as she found out Henry was missing she knew where to come. She just hoped she wasn’t too late. If Regina had done anything to him... well she’d show everyone just how dark a saviour could be. 

She turned the corner and stopped dead, surprised by what she saw. Laid out on the floor on either side of the bars were Henry and Regina, both fast asleep and with their pinky fingers joined loosely on the floor between them. 

Emma couldn’t help but smile. After a moments hesitation she turned on her heel and left, giving mother and son a few more hours of peace together before all hell inevitably broke loose.


End file.
